Torpedo-handling device for vessels.



No. 803,218. PATENTED 001?. 31, 1905.

G. M. EVANS.

TORPBDO HANDLING DEVICE FOR VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 17, 1905.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

GEORGE M. EVANS OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT. ASSIGNOR TO SIMON LAKE, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

TORPEDO-HANDLING DEVICE FOR VESSELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1905.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. EvANs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Torpedo-Handling Devices for Vessels, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of vessels provided with torpedotubes, and particularly to those of such construction as submarine torpedo-boats that the introduction of the torpedoes to the interior through the hatches is impracticable.

The invention has for its object to provide means for the easy introduction of torpedoes into the firing-tubes for the purpose of loading the latter or for passing the same through such tubes into the interior for storing the same for subsequent loading.

The invention consists, essentially, in devices applied to the inboard end of the firingtube and preferably in axial relation thereto and means for actuating the same external thereto, whereby when attached to the rearward end of a propelling-torpedo the same may be drawn into place in the tube.

The invention further consists in certain details of construction which will be hereinafter set forth.

In the annexed drawings, in which the improvement is shown .applied to the torpedohandling apparatus forming the subject of the United States patent to Simon Lake, No. 709,335, dated September 16, 1902, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of one of the torpedo -tubes of a submarine boat, showing certain parts in section. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the outer end of and is provided with a rigid crank-arm 8, connected, by means of the link 9, with the operating-rod 10, which is or may be provided with actuating means, such as those described in the patent to Simon Lake, before men tioned. The inboard or breech cap 11 is similarly hinged to the inner end of the firing tube and is adapted to be locked shut by means of a swinging yoke 12 in the manner described in the aforesaid patent.

The inboard-cap 11 is provided with a stuffing-box 13, disposed in axial relation with the tube through which passes the flexible line 14:, provided with a snap or-other hook 15 upon the end within the firing-tube and having the opposite end attached to a Winding drum or winch 16, carried by a rigid bracket 17 mounted upon the inboard-cap, the shaft 18 of the winding-drum being provided with a crank-arm 19 and handle 20, by which the same may be rotated. As in the prior patent before mentioned, a pipe 21, controlled by a valve 22, connects the breech end of the firing tube with the exterior of the vessel and permits the displacement of the contained water within the tube by the torpedo as the latter enters the tube.

In the use of the apparatus as thus described the inboard-cap is first opened and the flexible tugging-line 1 1 is extended through the tube to the closed outboard-cap by the engagement of its hook 15 with the outer end of an inflexible rod 23, preferably of wood to make it buoyant, which is slightly shorter than the firingtube. The hook of the line 14 having been forced to the outboard end of the tube by means of the rod 23,-theinboard-cap is closed and the rod 23 permitted to remain in the tube. The outboard-cap is then opened and a torpedo Tfloated to the mouth of the tube, as illustrated partially in full lines in Fig. 1, and the operator catches, by means of a suitable grappling device, the hook 15 and makes it fast to the detachable forked hook 2 1, temporarily applied to the horizontal rudder-bar of the torpedo, thereafter removing the rod 23 from the firing-tube. The crank 19 of the winch 16 is now operated to wind up the flexible line 14, which serves to draw the torpedo within the tube in an axial line, which prevents its jamming or binding upon the outboard end of the tube, the water within the tube being expelled through the pipe 21 and previouslyopened controlling-valve 22 therein. When the torpedo has been drawn into place within its housing-tube, the outboardcap is shut upon its respective endof the firing-tube and the inboard-cap opened to enable the operator to disengage the hook 15 and outer end of the line 14 from the tail of the torpedo, when the closingof the inboard-cap places the apparatus in condition for service.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that the present improvement is not limited in its application to any particular form or construction of torpedo-tube or to any particular means of operation of the same, nor is the particular arrangement of parts described herein material to the improvement. Whether or not the inboard-cap is provided with a suitable housing for the drum 16, Whose shaft may pass laterally through astuffing-box therein to receive the crank 19, or whether it be mounted externally to the cap 11, is a matter of design which will be determined by the circumstances under which the apparatus is to be used. I

The flexible line employed is preferably a wire or thin rod of such character that the water will not penetrate between the same and the surrounding stuffing-box; but it is evident that by employing some other means than the winding-drum for drawing the same into the boat the flexible feature of this member may be dispensed with.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, whatI claim herein is 1. In atorpedo-boat, the combination with a torpedo-tube, of removable outboard and inboard caps therefor, and tackle adapted to be extended through said torpedo-tube and operable from the interior thereof at the inboard end for drawinga torpedo into said tube while the outboard-cap is opened and the inboard-cap is closed.

2. In a torpedo-boat, the combination with a torpedo-tube, of outboard and inboard caps therefor, both adapted to be opened and closed upon the respective ends of said tube, a stufling-box in the inboard-cap, and tackle operable from the exterior of said cap and extending through the stufling-box in the latter and through said torpedo-tube for drawing a torpedo into the latter from the exterior of the boat.

3. In a torpedo-boat, the combination with a torpedo-tube, of outboard and inboard caps carried by said inboard-cap and disposed in,

the axial lirfe of said tube, and a winch also carried by said inboard-cap and disposed in substantial alinement with said stuffing-box.

5. In a torpedo-boat, the combination with Qatorpedo-tube, of outboard and inboard caps therefor, both adapted to be opened or closed upon the respective ends of said tube, a stuffing-box in the inboard-cap, a flexible line entering said tube through the stuffing-box, an inflexible rod shorter than the said tube adapted to engage the end of said flexible line to draw it to the outboard end of the tube, and means for drawing said line through said stufling-box to introduce a connected torpedo into said tube.

6. In a torpedo-boat, the combination with a torpedo-tube and a valved connection between the inboard end of said tube and the exterior of said boat, of outboard and inboard caps for said tube, both adapted to be opened and closed upon the respective ends of said tube, a stuffing-box in the inboard-cap, and tackle operable from the exterior of said cap and extending through the stuffing-box in the latter and through said torpedo-tube fordrawing a torpedo into the latter from the exterior of the boat.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE M. EVANS.

Witnesses:

L. B. MILLER, HENRY J. MILLER. 

